Re: GG English Suites $5.00

[Bradley P Lehman <bpl@umich.edu>]

On Thu, 29 Apr 1999, jerry and judy wrote:

> I received the set a week ago and I've
> been re-acquainting myself with these marvelous performances.  And at what
> a price!  The set also includes the French Overture.
> 
> I don't know what you mean by a sealed cutout copy?
> 
> And when you say the old "Glenn Gould Bach" series, do you mean GG recorded
> these pieces more than once?  I haven't kept up with all the reissues and
> different labellings.

Recorded once, issued on CD at least twice in the U.S.  

The older issue (a series of some of the Bach recordings only) was from
CBS/Columbia and mid-priced.  Each had a cover of a different solid color,
with a small photo of GG.  Blue spine with white lettering.  Everything
was jammed onto as few discs as possible (for example, the entire WTC fits
onto three discs...both books; all six French suites fit onto one disc).  
That's what I was referring to as the "Glenn Gould Bach" series.  It was
possible to get each volume at extraordinarily low cost through the
Columbia House club about ten years ago, and there are still some copies
lurking around in shops and warehouses.  (Just as there are Odyssey issues
of the Mozart and Beethoven sonatas still out there....)

Then CBS/Columbia got absorbed into Sony, and all Columbia and Odyssey
discs went out of print.

The current issue by Sony has the consistent white covers and is
full-priced.  This is (arguably) justified by the Super Bit Mapping and
the better documentation, etc.  This series is also more nearly complete,
including previously unissued performances.  Sony publishes this series
with short playing times and full price because people will pay it....

"cutout" = out of print (and there's usually a notch _cut out_ of a corner
of the package to signify that this shouldn't be sold for full price
anymore); "sealed" = still wrapped in plastic

Bradley Lehman ~ http://www-personal.umich.edu/~bpl/ 
Harrisonburg VA, USA ~ 38.45N+78.94W

"Music must cause fire to flare up from the spirit - and not only 
sparks from the clavier...." - Alfred Cortot